N THE BIBLE when they were near the region of Cesarea Philippi, our Savior asked His disciples: “Whom do men say the Son of man is?” Featured in the Brébeuf Hymnal is a priest named FATHER DYLAN SCHRADER, who wrote several new hymn texts. (Actually, it would be more accurate to say “translations” of ancient hymns.) I wanted to know more about Father Schrader, so I asked my friend who was in the seminary alongside him. Here’s what he told me:
Father Schrader is a brilliant Latinist and incredibly gifted person. Working with Father Samuel Weber at the seminary, Father Schrader came up with a hymn for Saint Juan Diego (in the HYMNAL FOR THE HOURS). Father Schrader has a gift that allows him to teach others in a remarkable way. Indeed, he helped teach the seminarians the Mass of our Lady (“Salve Sancta Parens”) in Gregorian Chant, as well as the REQUIEM (“Missa pro defunctis”). Something notable he has done was to provide—for the first time in history—English translations for Notitiæ Responses from the Vatican. Father Schrader attended a high school seminary (which are not as abundant as they once were in this country) and graduated as a junior, allowing him to enter major seminary a year early. When I was a transitional Deacon, he helped me write—in Lingua Latina, the Church’s official language—my petition to the bishop to be ordained. I would not have been able to do that without his assistance. He has created a website called “Ipsissima Verba.” Born in Berkeley, Father Schrader grew up in Hannibal, Missouri and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Jefferson City in 2010. Father Schrader holds a Ph.D. in systematic theology from the Catholic University of America. He has written and translated books and articles on theology, liturgy, and the Latin language. Father Schrader is active on Twitter.
His Hymn Text • Below is one of the original contributions by Father Dylan Schrader found in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal. It’s a translation of PANGE LINGUA GLORIOSI, a 6th-century hymn by Bishop Fortunatus which served as the basis for the famous setting by Saint Thomas Aquinas:
That’s not an easy hymn to sing a cappella but my volunteer choir attempted it. If you think it’s easy, please send me a recording of your choir singing it!
New Generation Of Priests • In 1644, the Jesuit missionaries at Sainte Marie had an unexpected visitor. Father Francis Bressani came, who had been tortured by the Iroquois earlier that year. He had been ransomed by the Dutch and sent by them back to France. That very summer (!) he had made the harrowing journey to Quebec, rejoining the missions. Father Brébeuf gazed with reverence at the scars on Father Bressani’s face, neck, legs, and arms and observed that some of his fingers were missing, while others had been chewed to stubs. Father Paul Ragueneau said, expressing the mind of the missionaries: “His mutilated hands have made him a better preacher than we, and have served more than all our tongues to give a better conception than ever of the truths of our Faith to our Huron Christians.” It was on that occasion, when a Christian Huron remarked: “If there were not a Paradise, could there be found men who would walk through the fires and the flames of the Iroquois in order to draw us from hell and lead us to Heaven?” I can’t help but remember those words when I observe faithful priests alive today. These are men who have given up everything. These are men who have rejected the insidious and unrelenting temptations in the United States. Indeed, beginning in the late 1980s, it became impossible to even turn on a television sent in the United States without viewing commercials which were (basically) “soft porn” and tempted men against the Holy Virtue of Purity. Furthermore, these men are faithful to Jesus Christ in spite of daily scandals from church leaders.
Here’s a photograph of Father Dylan Schrader which I found online:
If anyone has high-resolution pictures of him celebrating Mass, please send them my way.
